The present invention relates to tree climbing apparatus for use by hunters and observers of wildlife.
Hunters and avid wildlife observers have long found it advantageous to take a resting position at an elevated location, such as in a tree, from which candid, undetected observation of wildife or other items of interest may be more readily and easily accomplished. For this purpose, a wide variety of apparatus have been developed and proposed for enabling a person to ascend and descend a tree or other columnar member quickly and safely. Various examples of such apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,645; 3,960,240; 4,230,203; 4,316,526; 4,321,983; and 4,331,216.
Typically, such devices basically provide a seat frame assembly for supporting the user's main body and a foot frame assembly for supporting the user's feet and legs, each assembly being constructed for encircling disposition about a tree or column and for selectively engaging the tree upon application of weight to the assembly to remain in place on the tree and tilted disengaging from the tree when no appreciable weight is applied to the assembly to permit sliding movement along the tree. The user is enabled to ascend and descend a tree by alternately standing on the foot frame assembly to engage it with the tree while slidably raising or lowering the seat frame assembly along the tree as desired and then sitting on the seat frame assembly to engage it with the tree while slidably raising or lowering the foot frame assembly as desired by manipulation thereof with the user's feet and legs. In ascending a tree, once the desired elevation is reached, the user simply employs the seat frame assembly as a seat from which to hunt or observe his item of interest.
In the most popular forms of such devices, the seat frame assembly is constructed to dispose the seat surface at an outward spacing from the tree for seating of the user facing the tree, this seat disposition facilitating the ascending and descending operation of the devices and providing a more stable and secure feeling to most users while stationarily seated at an ascended resting elevation. Examples of this type of device are disclosed in the above-noted U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,230,203; 4,316,526 and 4,321,983. However, when seated facing the tree, the tree at least partially obstructs the user's view and, furthermore, the normal construction of this form of device restricts the user's range of turning movement. Accordingly, certain users find it to be more desirable to be seated facing away from the tree once ascended to a desired elevation but most forms of climbing devices do not facilitate such seating disposition. Certain modified forms of climbing devices have therefore been proposed having seat frame assemblies adapted for user seating with his back against the tree for facing away therefrom. Examples of these devices are disclosed in the above-noted U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,960,240 and 4,230,203. These devices, however, also require the user to perform the ascending and descending operation while facing away from the tree which not only requires more difficult physical movements by the user but also is generally unsafe. One device has been proposed having a seat frame assembly with a sliding seat member to permit selective positioning of the seat member spaced from or adjacent to the tree for user seating facing either toward or away from the tree, this device being the subject of above-noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,216.
The present invention provides an improved tree climbing device having a seat frame assembly wherein a movable seat back arrangement is provided for positioning in two different positions enabling the device to be safely and easily operated in conventional manner for ascending and descending a tree and to be selectively employed in an ascended, resting position for user seating facing either toward or away from the tree as desired.